Ethiopia warms up to Indian spirituality during HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s visit

12th of Dec 2007

BangaloreKarnataka

India

BANGALORE: A wave of Indian spirituality swept Ethiopia as His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited to the country. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was on a two-day visit last wee on the invitation from the Ethio-Indian Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Large crowds of people including youth, diplomats and business leaders came to hear his message of a peaceful and stress-free world at various events in Addis Ababa. On Friday Sri Sri called on the President of Ethiopia, The Honorable Girma Wolde Giorgis, at the Presidential Palace. He also met Princess Mariam Senna Asfa Wossen and several senior diplomats. Mayor of Addis Ababa Berhanu Deressa also called on Sri Sri.

Soon after his arrival from Brussels on Thursday, Sri Sri held interfaith dialogue with the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, represented by its vice- president Sheih Alias Redwan Seid. Later, Sri Sri called on Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church His Holiness Abune Paulos; Archbishop of Axum; Echegue of the Sea of St Tekle Himanot and president of the World Council of Churches.

During the visit, Sri Sri addressed the House of People’s Representative and met with Deputy Speaker of the House Shetaye Menale and Speaker of the House of Federation Degife Bulla. He also addressed the city administrators on the theme ‘The Role of Integrity in Public Life’. Diplomats and special invited guests attended a lecture titled ‘Preserving Human Values in the Process of Development’ at the Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel.

On Thursday, Sri Sri held a discussion with Executive Secretary of the United National Economic Commission for Africa Abdoulie Janneh and explored the possibilities of partnership and cooperation between the two organizations across Africa in areas such as good governance and youth empowerment. Currently, the Art of Living is active in over 28 countries in Africa.

Sri Sri was invited to the country in recognition of the important work being done by the Art of Living with youth and parliamentarians. Over 150 Members of Parliament have participated in the special programmes for decision makers conducted by the Art of Living. Approximately one third of the Ethiopian Parliament has taken the Art of Living’s healing workshop, helping them listen to the opposition and understand one another better.